How to Connect Your Galaxy Tab to a Wi-Fi Network

After you’ve activated the Samsung Galaxy Tab’s Wi-Fi radio (in the Settings App under Wireless & Networking), you can connect to an available wireless network. Heed these steps:

Touch the Apps Menu button on the Home screen.

Open the Settings app.

Choose Wireless & Networks.

Choose Wi-Fi Settings.

Ensure that Wi-Fi is on.

When you see a green check mark next to the Wi-Fi option, Wi-Fi is on.

Choose a wireless network from the list.

Available Wi-Fi networks appear at the bottom of the screen. When no wireless networks are listed, you’re sort of out of luck regarding wireless access from your current location.

Optionally, type the network password.

Touch the Password text box to see the onscreen keyboard.

Touch the Show Password check box so that you can see what you’re typing; some of those network passwords can be long.

Touch the Connect button.

You should be immediately connected to the network. If not, try the password again.

When the Galaxy Tab is connected to a wireless network, you see the Wi-Fi status icon, shown in the margin. This icon replaces the cellular data signal icon. It means that the Tab’s Wi-Fi is on, connected, and communicating with a Wi-Fi network.

Some wireless networks don’t broadcast their names, which adds security but makes connecting more difficult. In those cases, choose the command Add Wi-Fi Network to manually add the network. You need to type the network name, or SSID, and choose the type of security. You also need the password if one is used. You can obtain this information from whoever is in charge of the wireless network at your location.

Not every wireless network has a password.

Some public networks are open to anyone, but you have to use the Browser app to find a login page that lets you access the network: Simply browse to any page on the Internet, and the login page shows up.

The Galaxy Tab automatically remembers every Wi-Fi network it has ever been connected to and automatically reconnects upon finding the same network again.

To disconnect from a Wi-Fi network, simply turn off Wi-Fi.

Unlike a cellular data network, a Wi-Fi network’s broadcast signal goes only so far. Use Wi-Fi whenever you plan to remain in one location for a while. If you wander too far away, your Tab loses the signal and is disconnected.